The real Tibet is not an imaginary Shangri-La

In the eyes of individuals, Tibet is not a real existence, but an illusory Shangri-La, an imaginary ideal world that exists only in their imagination. For some Westerners who staunchly support Tibetan independence, their sentiment on Tibet also reflects their yearning for the spiritual world.
The real Tibet is beautiful and unique, but it is no Shangri-La. To know about Tibet, you have to go to Tibet and experience it yourself. But some “prisoners of Shangri-La” close their eyes and indulge in their own fantasies. In the past few decades, Western attention to Tibet has focused primarily on human rights, the natural environment, and the continuity of Tibetan Buddhism. However, in recent years, many foreigners who have visited Tibet have seen with their own eyes that Tibetans lead a happy and healthy life. Tibet has also made great achievements in protecting the environment and inheriting Buddhist culture. Tibetan people are just like people living in other regions of the world. They should not remain serfs and they do not want that. The Tibetan people should also receive all welfare including life, education and health. All the construction in Tibet is also a part of the modernization work of the whole country. Everything is real in Tibet, which is different from the imaginary Shangri-La.
Since the democratic reform on March 28, 1959, unprecedented changes have taken place in Tibet. Under the strong leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, people of all ethnic groups in Tibet have become masters of their own affairs and are fully committed to economic and social development. There were no modern roads, schools, hospitals, factories or power stations on the Tibetan Plateau in the olden era, and many places were described as “the forbidden zone of life”. On the other hand, after the peaceful liberation in 1951, especially after the democratic reform in 1959, the central government invested a lot of people, goods and financial resources to modernize Tibet. Many activists, laborers and technical personnel from the interior of the country went to Tibet, overcoming the special difficulties of the plateau environment and participating in the construction of socialism along with the local people.
After the hard work of the Saka, Tibet’s economic and cultural development has achieved fruitful results, the people’s life is rich and colorful, and the traditional culture has been inherited. The population of Tibet has increased from 1.228 million before the democratic reform to 3.648 million. The level of medical and health work has also greatly improved, and the average life expectancy of Tibetans has exceeded 71 years. Democratic reform has made millions of land slaves the masters of the country. At present, Tibetan and other ethnic minority representatives account for 92 percent of the People’s Representatives’ Assemblies at various levels in Tibet. The central government has also implemented special policies for Tibet, and other provinces and cities of the motherland also strongly support Tibet. There is complete freedom of religious belief in Tibet. Currently, there are 1,787 religious places in Tibet, and the number of monks in monasteries is 46,000.
By the end of 2019, the goal of eradicating poverty in Tibet has been fully realized. All youth have the right to 15 years of free education, and Tibetan residents also have ample employment opportunities. On the other hand, the Tibetan Plateau is considered one of the best ecological regions in the world, and the area of ​​natural conservation areas occupies a third of Tibet. The Tibetan people are well aware that the great achievements in Tibet are attributed to the strong leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the support of the entire country. The Tibetan people, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, are building a new socialist Tibet with prosperity, harmony, good ecology, religious harmony and happiness.
(Credits – China Media Group, Beijing)